And so, the day of the new San Siro has finally arrived. Thursday 29 October 2026 will go down as a landmark date in the history of Milan and Italy as a whole, and not just in football. Inter and Milan have unveiled their new shared stadium to the world. It will be called Generali Stadium and will have a capacity of 71,500 for football matches.
Before looking more closely at the project, a few key details. The stadium has been designed by Foster + Partners and MANICA, with construction expected to begin in 2028 – the target set by all parties involved – and the first match scheduled for the 2031/32 season. Both dates are subject to the necessary planning approvals, which will allow the strategic investment by the owners of Milan’s two biggest clubs, RedBird at Milan and Oaktree at Inter, to become a reality. An investment that could usher in a new era not only for the two clubs, but for Italian football as a whole.
In designing the new home of Inter and Milan, Norman Foster and David Manica, the two architects overseeing the Generali Stadium project, drew inspiration from the essence and character of the city itself. The pair had previously worked together on the new Wembley, but this project presented a different challenge: how to preserve the extraordinary legacy of San Siro while creating something capable of standing alongside it? Their answer is a bold architectural statement, defined by a striking X-shaped structure and a double-curved roof, conceived to become a new landmark on the Milan skyline.
This is only a small part of a vast and ambitious project, one that will change the way football is experienced in Milan. Every seat in the stadium will offer an unobstructed view of the pitch, while the architecture itself will remain an integral part of the experience. The front rows behind the goals will be even closer to the pitch than they are at the current San Siro, preserving a sense of continuity between the city’s historic ground and its new home. Acoustics have also played a central role in the design. The stadium’s structure is intended to contain the noise generated by the crowd, allowing the atmosphere to build and reverberate around the stands.
The Generali Stadium has also been designed to accommodate a wide range of events. Concerts will naturally be among them, continuing one of the traditions that has made San Siro such a distinctive venue throughout its century-long history. For some of the world’s biggest artists, the overall capacity is expected to increase, potentially taking the stadium beyond 100,000 spectators. The venue will also be adaptable for other sports, including the NFL games staged each year outside the United States and Canada.
Football, however, will remain at the heart of the project. The steep 37-degree rake of the stands recalls the great stadiums of the game, while two tiers running all the way around the pitch will give supporters in every section an immersive experience. The plans also include state-of-the-art hospitality spaces and highly exclusive experiences, designed to generate new revenue streams for Inter and Milan.
Like many of the world’s leading contemporary sports venues, the new Generali Stadium is intended to become a destination in its own right, extending beyond sport into tourism and entertainment. The wider urban regeneration project will create a 281,000-square-metre area, bringing together new public spaces, green areas and places dedicated to leisure and shopping. The neighbourhood around the stadium will become a welcoming place not only for supporters on matchdays, but also for visitors looking to spend time in this part of Milan and get to know the city from a different perspective.
Sustainability is also central to the Generali Stadium project. The solutions selected by the designers include natural ventilation, photovoltaic energy generation and a range of measures intended to improve efficiency, reduce environmental impact and support the stadium’s long-term operation. The partnership with Generali marks another important step for Inter and Milan. Alongside the naming rights, the company will become the Official Insurance Partner of both clubs.
Below are the first images of the Generali Stadium, unveiled alongside the initial details of the project. A new home for Inter and Milan, and a new landmark for the city they share.
